Sunday, October 2, 2011

Dongeng Lumba-Lumba Pesut

In East Kalimantan there is a famous river of Mahakam River. In the river there are fish that are very distinctive shape that is Irrawady Pesut Mahakam (Orcaella brevirostris) is a freshwater dolphin Indonesia. Body robust, small and triangular dorsal fin and the head rounded / blunt reply with a small eye. Classified as a small dolphin, the Irrawaddy dolphin has an adult length of 2.0 to 2.75 m, 1.0 m. The dolphin baby is very active, sometimes jumping low). Actually Irrawaddy Dolphin is not fish but mammals of water as the dolphins and whales. According to the residents around the river Irrawady is not just any fish but is a human incarnation.

The story in the days of yore in the Mahakam, there is a village inhabited by several families. They live as farmers and fishermen. Every year after harvest, the villagers usually customary to throw a party filled with a wide range of performances and artistic dexterity.

Amid the people living in hamlets, there is a family living in harmony and peace in a simple hut. They consist of a husband and wife and two sons and daughters. Needs of their lives are not too difficult to achieve because they have a garden planted with various kinds of fruits and vegetables. So did all kinds of difficulties can be overcome by a wise, so they lived happily for many years.

At one point, the mother was attacked by a disease. Although some people have been treated by a physician, but the mother never recovered until she eventually died. After the death of the mother, the family lives in sorrow. They are hold deep sorrow of losing people they loved so much. The father became withdrawn and morose, while her two children are always overwhelmed with a sense of confusion, not knowing what to do. Their house and their garden are now no longer maintained. Some village elders have tried to advise his father to not dissolve in sadness, but their advice can not make any change. This situation lasts long enough.

One day in the village feast was again held customary harvest. Various performances and entertainment is held again. In one of the stage show, there is a girl that very beautiful and fascinating, she always attracted the village youth when she was in action. Hearing such news, it also stirred the heart of the father to watch too, he want to see what kind of the show is so highly praised among villagers and turn many youth so crazy.

That night was the seventh night of the event, held the crowd. Slowly his father walked over to the venue where she will play. He deliberately stood in front so it can be clearly witnessed the game and face the girl. Finally the show began. Unlike the other spectators, the father was not much amused laugh or praises the girl's appearance. Yet occasionally there is also the father smiled a little. The girl threw a cheery smile to the audience who praised him as well as a tease. One time, the girl sees the father, it happens many times. Both of them fall in love each other without know when the love is start to begin in their heart. Many people, especially the villager's youth did not expect that the young girl would want to marry him, who already have two child.

Soon after, with the approval of both parties and the blessing of the elders they get marriage just after the customary feast in the village over. And also was the gloom over the family, now they began preparing a new life. They began working on activities that previously they did not try again. The father returned diligent farming with the help of her two children, while her stepmother stayed at home preparing food for their family. And so on down for months until their life bright again.

Peoples of the village saw a happy family, but nobody know the truth that the brother are live in a different situation. The two children were fed only after there are leftovers from his father. The father can only tolerate his wife's actions; he can not do anything because she really loved her. Finally, the whole household organized in the hands of the young wife who is greedy. The brother work hard every day tirelessly and even told to do things beyond their capabilities.

At one point, his stepmother had made an evil plan. He told both his stepson to look for firewood in the forest."Both of you, go another pile of firewood today!" Ordered the mother, "There should be three times more than you earn yesterday. And remember! Do not go home before the wood is much collected. Understand?! "

"But, Mom ..." his son replied, "Why do you need so much wood ...?. Our wood stock is still quite a lot. We could take another more when the stock are almost empty.

"What! You have dared to argue with me? Do you want me told your father that you were lazy! Come, go now!! " the stepmother angry.

The young boys then pulled his sister's hand to get going. He knew that his father had influenced by his stepmother, so it is useless to argue because they will get blamed too. After bringing some supplies, they departed into the forest. Until dusk approached, the wood they have collected is not sufficient as required by their stepmother. They was forced to spend the night in the forest, in a former villager cottage to continue their work in the next day. They can sleep despite the hunger is still wrapping their stomachs.

The next morning, they started collecting as much wood. By midday, the hunger was unbearable again; finally they lay on the ground for several moments. And without knowing, an old man came up to them."What are you doing here, kids?!" The old man asked them. Both the poor child was then told everyone, including the behavior of their stepmother and their circumstances that have not eaten rice since yesterday until it was no longer able to continue the work.

"Well ..., you go down that way." The old man said, pointing toward the hedge grove. "There are many fruit trees. Eat all of it until you are full. But remember; do not search again the next day because it will be in vain. Go now! "

After saying thank you, both sisters are rushing toward the place. It was true what was grandfather said before, there are many different kinds of fruit trees. Durian, jackfruit, similar to jackfruit, mango and papaya fruit that have been fully matured scattered on the ground. Other fruits such as bananas, rambutan and coconut are visible hanging from the tree. They then eat the fruit until the body feels fresh again. After resting a while, they can return to continue the work to collect wood in accordance with the requested his stepmother.

By late afternoon, they have successfully installed it into the house. They arranged the wood without diligently. Once completed, then they got into the house to report to his stepmother, but were surprised when they saw the house that has been empty.

Apparently their father and stepmother had left the house. All property within the house have been fully taken along, this means they are leave both of them and never come back again to the house. The young brother only cries. Hearing the cries of the two, the surrounding neighbors came to the house to know what the hell was going on. They were shocked after learning that both his father and stepmother of the children had been moved secretly.

The next day, the children are determined to find her parents. They announce the plan to the nearest neighbor. Some neighbors who pity then exchanged fire wood with the stock of food for the journey of two brothers. By midday, they went looking for their father and stepmother.

It has been two days they are running but have not found their parents, while food supplies had run out. On the third day, they came in a hilly area and were seen by their smoke billowing in the distance. They immediately headed toward the place was just asked the residents probably know or see both their parents.

They finally come across a decrepit cottage already. It seemed an old man sitting in front of the cabin. Two sisters and pay homage to the old man and saluted.

"Where are you guys? What do you mean to come to my place far this remote?

"Sorry" The boy said, "We are currently looking for our parents us. Do you ever seen a man and a young woman through here? "

The old man paused as he wrinkled his forehead; apparently he is trying hard to remember something."Hmmm ..., a few days ago there was a husband and wife who come here." "They bring a lot of stuff. Are they that what you're looking for? "

"No doubt" The boy said excitedly, "They must be our parents! Which way they go, sir? "

"At that time they borrow a boat to cross a river. They said they wanted to settle there on the other side and want to create a cottage and a new plantation. Try your search on the other side. "

"Thank you, sir ..." said the elder son is, "But ..., can you help us across the river?"

"I am already old kids ... I don't have the strength to paddle a boat!" Said the grandfather with a chuckle, "If you want to catch them, use an existing boat alone on the edge of the river."

Both of them have the courage to take boats the grandfather. They promised to return the boat if it has managed to find their parents. After saying thank you, they then boarded a boat and headed across. Both are oblivious to the hungers that convolute their stomachs because of a sense of joy upon learning the existence of their parents. Finally they reached the other side and the boat moored in a creek. After two days walking on an empty stomach, then they meet the edge of a hamlet that is rarely populated.

They both saw a newly built cottage. Slowly they approached the cabin. With feelings of anxiety and doubt the brother get up in the stairs and calling out the occupants, while the little brother walked around the cabin until he found a clothes horse who is behind the cabin. He also remembered his father's clothes; after he approached then rest assured that it was indeed his father's clothes. Immediately she ran to her sister as she showed her father had found clothes in the back. Without thinking again they entered the cottage and the cottage was indeed contained the belongings of their father.

Apparently their parents were in a hurry to leave, so in the kitchen there is a pot that is placed over the fire that is still burning. Inside the pot there is a rice that become porridge. Because the starved stomach, the brothers finally ate the rice porridge. His sister who just followed into the kitchen is surprised at what he was doing, she immediately grabbed the pot whose contents were low. Starved, she immediately ate rice porridge at once along.

Because the porridge that is still hot, their body temperature rises. In circumstances such abysmally, they ran to seek the stream. They hug each banana trees they encountered on either side of the road to the river, the banana tree become wither. Once they arrived at the river bank, they immediately jump into it. Almost at the same time, the residents of the cottage that was indeed the father of the brother were astonished when he saw many banana trees around their cottage becomes withered and charred.

But they were very surprised when entered into the hut and encounter a pack and two sabers belong to her two children. The wife continued to examine the contents of the cottage down to the kitchen, and she could not find a longer pot that had been left behind. He then reported it to her husband. They then hurried down from the hut and follow the road to the river on the left-right that there are many banana trees that have withered and charred.

Arriving on the banks of the river, they saw the two creatures that move to and fro in the water while spraying water from his head. Mind the husband remembered the sequence of events that might once have anything to do with family. He was surprised because all of a sudden his wife was not there beside him. Apparently she disappeared mysteriously. Now the husband realized that his wife is not a common human ancestry. Since their marriage, the wife does not ever want to tell their origins. He almost becomes the victim of a wicked witch. Thanks to the children who have eaten the porridge

Not long ago, the villagers came flocking to the riverbank to witness the oddity that had just happened. Two fish whose head is similar to the human head is moving to and fro in the middle of the river as he occasionally appears on the surface and squirted water from his head. The people that are in place it estimates that the water bursts of two entities was hot that can cause the baby fish die if exposed.

By Kutai people, the fish are named pesut (Irrawady dolphin). While communities in the interior of the Mahakam named Bawoi fish.